Toothbrush holder



April l0, 1934. R. G, MCM|LLAN 1,954,085

TQOTHBRUSH HOLDER Filed Dec. 9, 1931 Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'roorHBRUsH HOLDER Roy G. McMillan, Windsor, Ontario, Canada Application December 9, 1931, seria1Nn. 579,867

4 claims. (ci. 20s-15.1)

The principal objects of the invention are to are sufficiently long to permit the insertion of the provide a cabinet in which a plurality of brushes bristle end of a tooth brush and the portions 5 may be retained so that they will be maintained are raised above the top surface of the portions 6 in a sanitary condition and will be readily accesa surlicient distance so that when the handle of sible and further, to provide acabinet of extremethe brush rests upon the portion 5 the down- Go ly simple form which may -be manufactured at wardly turned bristles will not contact with the low cost and will be of an attractive appearance. surface of the portion 6.

A further object is to devise a cabinet which The brushes will thus rest upon the handle may be very readilycleaned and sterilized. portions upon the partition portions 5 and any 10 The principal features of the invention consist moisture in the brush head will drip freely from 65 in the novel formation of a cabinet with a pluthe brush into the pocket portion, but as the parrality of horizontally arranged partitions dividtitions extend from end to end any moisture driping the interior into a plurality of separate comping from one brush will not drip upon any other partments in which the brushes may be individbrush in the cabinet.

ually arranged so that the bristles may be thor- Finger notches 7 are formed in the partitions 4 70 oughly dried and will not be disarranged by-conabout mid-way of their length to enable the `intact with any portion of the supporting structure. sertion of the nger and thumb to grasp the brush A further feature of importance consists inthe handle and to enable the brush being readily novel construction of the cabinet in a unitary placed in position.

moulded member having a single cover enclosing The bottom of the casing is formed with a 75 the various compartments and permitting a free raised portion 8, the upper surface of which corcirculation of air through the cabinet. responds with the top surfaces of the partitions 4 In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a and has a depression 9 in line with the notches perspective view of the cabinet showing the cover '7 to enable the ready handling 0f the brush S1111- in the open position partly broken away. ported thereon. g@

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the cabi- The top 10 of the casing is preferably formed net taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1 and showwith recesses 11 adjacent to each end which are ing the cover in its closed position. adapted to receive the hinge lugs 12 formed on Figure 3 is a vertical mid-sectional view taken the cover 13 and hinge pins 14 are inserted in on the line 3-3 of Figure 1. holes 15 to pass through said lugs and form a g5 Figure 4 is an end elevational view. pivot support.

Figure 5 is a perspective detail of a modified It may be fOllIld desirable t0 fasten the COVeI form of hinge support for the cover. with an ordinary metal hinge or other designs of Numerous forms of cabinets for holding tooth hinge construction may be devised, a mOded brushes have been devised with the intent of holdform being shown in Figure 5. 9G

ing the brushes separated the one from the other The cover 13 is preferably moulded in one piece and provision has been proposed for providing and is formed with a flanged edge 16 011 the top means for sterilizing the brushes. and ends which engage the top and end edges of The present invention proposes a distinct imthe casing. provement in pro-vidingacabinet 1 which is pref- The bottom edge of the cover is preferably 95 erably moulded in a unitary structure presenting formed without a flange so that air will enter smooth, hard surfaces which will resist moisture freely all along the bottom to flow upwardly beand corrosion and may be easily cleansed. tween the cover and the partitions and openings The back Wall 2 of the casing is preferably ar- 17 are formed in the end flanges adjacent to the 4.3 ranged in an inclined position between the end top to permit the air to escape. This arrange- 100 walls 3 and the open front face is preferably parment provides for a free circulation of air which allel with the back wall. will evaporate any small amount of moisture Arranged within the casing and extending bedripping from the brushes and will also effectivetween the end walls 3 are a plurality of partitions ly dry the bristles in their suspended position. 4 each of which is moulded integrally with or Any suitable means for securing the cabinet 105 cemented to the back and end walls. These paron a wall or ledge may be provided on the back titions are formed with the horizontal portions 5 2, but I show a pair of keyhole slots 18 in the extending the major length of the casing and are back through which suitable screws may be incurved downwardly to a shorter length 6. The serted to hold the cabinet in place. length of the shorter portions of the partitions A cabinet such as described may be moulded in 110 a light metal such as aluminum or preferably in a plastic such as bakelite which nishes with a smooth polished surface direct from the mould and it will be very readily cleansed by ringing with water or may be rendered sterile by dipping in an antiseptic solution or in boiling water.

A cabinet such as described not only enhances the sanitary features but ensures the maintenance of the brushes in a hygienic condition. The brushes are suspended with the bristles turned downward and any moisture will be drawn away from the base of the bristles and be quickly evaporated and this very greatly lengthens the life of the brush and keeps it in a good condition. Further the brushes are also hidden from view within a cabinet of attractive appearance.

The cabinet is preferably moulded from a plastic as described but it must be understood that it may be fabricated from separately formed pieces cemented together.

What I claim as my invention is:-

1. A multiple tooth brush cabinet having a plurality of substantially horizontal partitions disposed one above the other forming individual open-sided compartments and each forming a support for a separate tooth brush, said partitions being stepped downwardly at the end for a portion of their length to accommodate the bristle end of the brushes, whereby a plurality of tooth brushes are nested in compact horizontally disposed but separated relation, and a door closing the open sides of all of said compartments.

2.` Afmultiple tooth brush cabinet having a piurality of substantially horizontal partitions disposed one above the other forming individual open-sided compartments and each forming a support for a separate tooth brush, said partitions having end portions depressed to accommodate the bristle end of the brushes whereby a plurality of tooth brushes are nested in compact horizontally disposed but separated relation, each partition having a deep recess retreating inwardly at a spaced point from the depressed portion thereof to expose a portion of the tooth brush handle to permit gripping thereof by the lingers, and a cover forming a closure for all of the compartments.

3. A multiple tooth brush cabinet having upright ends and a sloping rear wall interposed therebetween, a plurality of partitions of equal width extending substantially horizontally forward from said sloping rear wall forming al series of individual horizontal tooth brush receiving compartments of equal depth and staggered from the vertical in relation to each other, said partitions having portions in the length thereof depressed to accommodate the bristle end of the brushes, and la door adapted to swing into substantially parallel relation to said rear sloping Wall to close all of said compartments.

4.- A multiple tooth brush cabinet having a plurality of substantially horizontal partitions disposed one above the other forming individual open-sided compartments and each forming a support for a separate tooth brush, said partitions having portions in the length thereof depressed downwardly to accommodate the bristle end of the brushes, whereby a plurality of tooth brushes are nested in compact horizontally disposed but separated relation, and a cover hinged to the cabinet and having vertical side flanges engaging the end walls of the cabinet and spacing the cover from the forward edges of said partitions, said cabinet having openings at the upper end forming air outlet passages, whereby air is permitted to circulate upwardly past all of said compartments and outwardly through the upper openings to thoroughly ventilate all of the tooth brush compartments and dry the brushes therein.

ROY G. MCMILLAN. 

